Morgan County, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Morgan County is the most populous county
in the Decatur Metropolitan Area
, and the second most populous county in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
in the U.S. State
of Alabama
. It was created by the Alabama Territorial
legislature on February 6, 1818 from land acquired from the Cherokee Indians in the Treaty of Turkeytown
, and was originally called Cotaco County. In 1821 it was renamed in honor of American Revolutionary War
General Daniel Morgan
of Virginia
. As of 2010 the population was 119,490. The county seat
is Decatur
, and it is a prohibition or dry county
, though the City of Decatur
is wet.
Morgan County is also a part of the North
, Northwest
, and North-Central regions of Alabama.
of 2000, there were 111,064 people, 43,602 households, and 31,437 families residing in the county. The population density
was 191 people per square mile (74/km2). There were 47,388 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.07% White
, 11.24% Black
or African American
, 0.67% Native American
, 0.45% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 1.25% from other races
, and 1.25% from two or more races. 3.28% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 43,602 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples
living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,803, and the median income for a family was $45,827. Males had a median income of $35,759 versus $21,885 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,223. About 9.70% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
in the Decatur Metropolitan Area
Decatur Metropolitan Area
The Decatur Metropolitan Area is a moderately urban region of North-Central Alabama. The 2008 estimate population is 150,125, one third of which resides within the boundaries of its core city, Decatur, Alabama....
, and the second most populous county in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA...
in the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. It was created by the Alabama Territorial
Alabama Territory
The Territory of Alabama was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 15, 1817, until December 14, 1819, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alabama.-History:...
legislature on February 6, 1818 from land acquired from the Cherokee Indians in the Treaty of Turkeytown
Treaty of Turkeytown
The Treaty of Turkeytown, also known as the Treaty with the Cherokee and the Treaty of Chickasaw Council House was negotiated on 14 September 1816, between delegates of the Cherokee Nation on the one part and Lieutenant General Andrew Jackson, General David Meriwether and Jesse Franklin, Esquire,...
, and was originally called Cotaco County. In 1821 it was renamed in honor of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
General Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. As of 2010 the population was 119,490. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, and it is a prohibition or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, though the City of Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
is wet.
Morgan County is also a part of the North
North Alabama
North Alabama is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama, generally considered to include 12 counties: Cherokee, Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, and Winston, with a combined population of 958,247, or 20.84% of the state's population as...
, Northwest
Northwest Alabama
Northwest Alabama is a subdivision of the North Alabama region, and includes the cities of Decatur, Florence, Russellvile, and their surrounding areas in the state of Alabama. The county inclusion varies, usually only consisting of the Decatur Metropolitan Area and Florence-Muscle Shoals...
, and North-Central regions of Alabama.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 599.06 square miles (1,551.6 km²), of which 582.21 square miles (1,507.9 km²) (or 97.19%) is land and 16.84 square miles (43.6 km²) (or 2.81%) is water.Major highways
.svg.png)
Interstate 65Interstate 65 in AlabamaInterstate 65, beginning in Mobile at an interchange with Interstate 10, meanders across of the Alabama countryside linking six of the state's ten largest cities. The highway links together many important roadways that make commerce inside and outside of the state's boundaries possible...
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Highway 72 Alternate
U.S. Highway 231
State Route 20State Route 20 (Alabama)State Route 20 ' runs from the Tennessee state line northwest of Florence, Alabama, east to I-65 east of Decatur in the northwestern Alabama...
State Route 24
State Route 36
State Route 67State Route 67 (Alabama)State Route 67 is a state highway in Alabama that connects the city of Decatur to U.S. Highway 231 at Rainbow Crossing in Blount County. This road serves as a link between Decatur and Gadsden.-Route description:...
Adjacent counties
- Madison CountyMadison County, AlabamaMadison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
(northeast) - Marshall CountyMarshall County, AlabamaMarshall County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of John Marshall, famous Chief Justice of the United States. As of 2010 the population was 93,019...
(east) - Cullman CountyCullman County, AlabamaCullman County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. As of 2010, the population was 80,406. Its county seat is the town of the same name, Cullman, Alabama. It is a "moist" county in terms of availablity of alcoholic beverages, which means...
(south) - Lawrence CountyLawrence County, AlabamaLawrence County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. It was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the population was...
(west) - Limestone CountyLimestone County, AlabamaLimestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 111,064 people, 43,602 households, and 31,437 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 191 people per square mile (74/km2). There were 47,388 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.07% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 11.24% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.67% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.45% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.25% from two or more races. 3.28% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 43,602 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,803, and the median income for a family was $45,827. Males had a median income of $35,759 versus $21,885 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,223. About 9.70% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- DecaturDecatur, AlabamaDecatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
(part of Decatur is in Limestone CountyLimestone County, AlabamaLimestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
) - DanvilleDanville, AlabamaDanville is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the larger Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. A noteworthy Danville native was world famous gold medalist at the 1936 Summer Olympics, Jesse Owens....
- EvaEva, AlabamaEva is a town in Morgan County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 491.- Geography :...
- FalkvilleFalkville, AlabamaFalkville is a town in Morgan County, Alabama, in the United States, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 1,202.-Geography:...
- HartselleHartselle, AlabamaHartselle is the second largest city in Morgan County, Alabama, United States, about south of Decatur, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, and the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2006 census estimates, the population of the city is 13,479. Hartselle was...
- Lacey's SpringLacey's Spring, AlabamaLacey's Spring is an unincorporated community in northeastern Morgan County, Alabama, United States at the base of Brindley Mountain. It is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area....
- Morgan CityMorgan City, AlabamaMorgan City is an unincorporated community located in Morgan County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, as well as the Decatur Metropolitan Area. It's a small city....
- PricevillePriceville, AlabamaPriceville is the third largest municipality in Morgan County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2006 census estimate, the population of the town is 2,380....
- SomervilleSomerville, AlabamaSomerville is a town in Morgan County, Alabama. It is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 347. Somerville was the county seat of Morgan County from 1818 to 1891, when the seat...
- TrinityTrinity, AlabamaTrinity is a town in Morgan County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 1,841.-Geography:...
Rankings
| Rank | City/Town | Population 2006 estimates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur | 55,778 |
| 2 | Hartselle | 13,479 |
| 3 | Priceville | 2,380 |
| 4 | Trinity | 1,887 |
| 5 | Falkville | 1,185 |
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Morgan County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Morgan County, Alabama